Style the Cyclist… the winning outfits revealed

20/06/2012

Last month we launched a fun competition on Pinterest, challenging you to Style the Cyclist. We wanted you to think beyond the stereotype of what a cyclist ‘has’ to wear and what cyclists ‘should’ look like, and to think about translating the latest catwalk trends onto two wheels.

We asked you to pick some clothing from Harrods, and show just how stylish two very busy London business people could look… whilst travelling by bike. We signed up Carolina Bucci and Sam Galsworthy to be your models. They are both very successful business people living hectic lives in London, both of whom ride bicycles and both of whom like to look good.

The winners received Harrods vouchers, a goodie bag from us and will have their pictures printed in Absolutely Magazine. Today we can reveal the winning looks…

Carolina Bucci

We chose Clare Byrne’s board as the winning look for Carolina as it was so well considered. She really thought through all the individual items and suggested a nice day out for her! We asked Clare for the lowdown on her outfit, “The first item I chose was the Missoni slim-fit trousers. These seemed like the perfect trousers for cycling because they are fitted and cropped, so won’t get caught in a bike chain or get oily (I have had to scrub oil out of many a pair of trousers), and stretchy, so will be comfortable (I find that trousers with no stretch on the waistband can give you stomach ache when cycling for a long time if you ride a road bike with drop bars like I do). Carolina mentioned in her interview for Bikeminded that she loved Missoni too so I thought these would be perfect. I chose the top because it is loose and flowy, so great for biking as you won’t get too hot. It it also quite long, so will cover your lower back when cycling, which is something I think about. Lastly, it is quite bohemian, which is a style I like – this is the sort of top I would wear. With both the trousers and top I was looking for something transitional too, as Carolina mentioned in her interview that she often has multiple things to do in a day, social/personal/business. This outfit is casual enough for the school run but smart enough for business or an evening out.

I chose Carolina’s necklace because I thought if she was doing any business meetings it would be wise to wear something she made. Plus this would go well with the outfit, and I just really liked it. Lastly I added a classic trenchcoat – a necessity in rainy London! This style of coat is perfect for cycling as it covers a lot of you without being long enough to get caught in the chain or back wheel.”

Sam Galsworthy

The winning look for Sam was put together by Adele Roberts. We were really impressed with the thought she put into the look. We asked her about the thinking behind this outfit. “Being a strong supporter of local London produce in his work, I wanted Sam’s outfit to have a real ‘London bloke’ feel to it; there’s a certain ‘smart scruffiness’ that only the English can pull off! Sam describes his style as “left-field of conservative” so I chose traditional pieces with a quirky edge to them. The lilac chinos, PS by Paul Smith, are the real statement of the look and give the whole outfit a playful, relaxed air. The Byard blazer jacket, again Paul Smith, is the perfect mix of classic and current with a subtle pink and blue check running over a traditional earthy hue. I couldn’t resist adding the Ralph Lauren Shepway vest to throw a country gentleman twist and the warm pink shirt, Boss Orange, softens the whole outfit.

I really wanted to find a way to enable cyclists to ride comfortably and safely without compromising on style. The chinos really formed the base of the look as they’re loose enough to allow movement but don’t hang down over the ankle, avoiding any pedal tangles! I think the key to a great cycling look is that it makes sense on and off the bike; a full on suit isn’t going to work on a bicycle nor is a head-to-toe Lycra get up going to be well received at your destination!